1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an athletic timing device to be used by football players in the game of flag and touch football. Such device incorporates a preset, delayed time for players to rush or cross the line of scrimmage after an audio and/or visual signal to the players, with such device to be placed at the line of scrimmage. Such device both holds and elevates the football and also keeps track of the current down (first, second, third or fourth) and current score of both teams.
2. Description of Prior Art
A delayed rush time is often employed in touch football and flag football games. Problems often arise in objectively signaling both offensive and defensive players of the elapsing of the rush time when the defensive players can cross the line of scrimmage and pursue the quarterback or offensive player holding the ball and, conversely, when the offensive player can advance the ball by means of running across the line of scrimmage. Prior to the elapsing of said rush time, the only means by which the offensive team could advance the ball was by passing to a receiver or player already across the line of scrimmage. Another common problem in these types of football games is marking the current line of scrimmage as well as keeping track of the current down and current score at the line of scrimmage.
Prior inventions appear to be limited to those that hold the football in a snap plate, attempting to keep the ball clean and dry (U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,399 by Thomas Cuprak--1974), a devise for automatically elevating the football throwing efficiency of a passer (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,315 by Michel- Julien- Marius- Auguste Bon-1975) and a devise for developing football passing proficiency (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,958 by W. W. Lipscomb-1970. The prior art or inventions, however, do not address any form of rush time or time delay audio and/or visual signals to the players as to when the line of scrimmage can be crossed nor do those devises incorporate keeping tract of the current score and down.
There are many advantages to this invention, the primary advantage being the objective notification to both the offensive and defensive players, by means of both audio and visual signals, of the expiration of the predetermined rush time (usually in seconds), with the other advantages to this invention being the cradling of the football in an elevated (above-ground) position while keeping track of the current down and score as well as the current line of scrimmage.